Areas for review within the protocol have been identified, experts engaged to revise these elements and a draft protocol has been presented to Member States for ratification. A Sample Prototype for the biometric ID card was also presented to Member States for adoption. The working group has critically analysed and elaborated on the recommendations on the revision process for presentation at the next meeting of the ECOWAS Statutory Committee on Free Movement. The working group has also begun developing modalities for the deployment of biometric identity cards as travel documents within Member States.
The loopholes and divergent areas within the protocol that were earlier identified and documented recommendations have been made for presentation to Ministers in Charge of Security. ECOWAS Member States are expected to take all necessary steps to ensure that they meet the 24 November 2013 deadline for the introduction of the machine-readable passports.